Match book



May 17, 1949. G. Russo MATCH Box Filed Nov. 15, 1944 INVENTOR. @USEP/CE Fassa 41AM? w- A@ 477955575 Patented May 17, 1949- UNITED STATES PATENT FFICE MATCH BooK Giuseppe Russo, New York, N. Y. Application November 15, i944, serial No. 563,411

(Ci. 20s-29) 2 Claims. l

This invention relates to improvements in match packages and relates particularly to improvements in book matches of the type having a cardboard, wood veneer or paper cover enclosing combs of matches formed of slotted strips of cardboard, wood or wood veneer.

An object of the present invention is to provide match books oi' simplified form and with less material than the match books provided heretofore.

A further object of the invention is to provide match books in which match splints are formed of the same material as and integral with the cover.

Another object of the invention is to provide match books which are particularly safe in use, thereby permitting moreireadily ignited material to be used in the match heads and striking surface and the use of thinner splints for the matches.

Other objects of the invention will become apparent from the following description of a typical form of match book embodying the present invention.

In accordance with the present invention. I form a comb of match splints and a cover portion for the match splints from a single strip of paper, thin cardboard, or wood veneer and combine either two of the strips or one strip and a cooperating cover portion to provide a complete match book in which the cover portions are separable adjacent to the heads of the matches to permit removal of the matches from the book.

More particularly, the match comb is formed by slitting the end of a strip of material, such as thin cardboard or paper, along parallel lines extending inwardly from the end of the strip a distance somewhat less than one-half the length of the strip. The strip is then corrugated suitably to increase its strength, striking heads are applied to the match splints, and the strip is folded along a line spaced from the rear ends of the splints to provide a cover portion substantially parallel with the comb.

When two of these strips are secured with the combs in face to face relation, for example by means of a staple, the cover portions of the strips are disposed outwardly of the combs and having their free ends adjacent to the heads of the matches. shaped to provide interlocking portions thereon as disclosed in greater particularity in my copending application Serial No. 554,896, filed September 20, 1944, and now abandoned.

The match books of the type described above The free ends of the strips may be are made possible by reason of the fact that the cover portions provide particularly effective protection for the striking heads ofthe matches and thereby preclude accidental ignition of the matches remaining in the match book. Because of the protection aiorded -by the cover, it is possible to provide striking heads. on the matches and one or more striking surfaces on the cover portions which permit more ready ignition of the matches and thus reduce the amount o! effort required to ignite the matches. Inasmuch as the stresses on the match splints may be reduced by the easier ignition thereof, the match splints themselves may be made of thinner and less rigid material, with the result that the thickness and amount of material required in the manufacture of such match books are reduced.

For a better understanding of the present invention, reference may be had to the accompanying drawing in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a typical form of match book embodying the present invention,

Figure 2 is a view in section taken on line 2-2 of Figure l; i

Figure 3 is a view in vertical section of the match book of Figure 1 shown with the covers partly open;

Figure 4 is a plan view of partially completed strip forming a match comb and the cover portion prior to folding, and Y Figure 5 is a view in section taken on line 5-5 of Figure 4 showing a cross section of one of the match splints greatly enlarged.

The form of the invention chosen for purposes of illustration is a match book in which two combs of matches la and Ila are provided. Each of the match combs laand Ila is integral with an adjacent cover portion Illb and Ilb extending upwardly on opposite sides of the two match combs and provided with complementally curved interlocking end portions lllc and llc. The entire assembly of covers and match combs may be secured together by means of a staple I2 which is located beneath transverse. score lines I3 and I3a permitting the cover portions l0b and Ilb to be spread widely apart, thereby providing ready access to the matches for removal from the package.

Referring now to Figures 4 and 5 of the drawings, each half of the match package, including for example the comb Illa and the cover portion Illb, may be formed of a single strip of material l0 such as wood veneer or thin cardboard. In producing the match package, one end of the strip may be provided with a plurality of thin parallel slits i4 extending inwardly from one end.

thereof to form the match splints lud. As shown particularly in Figure 4, the slits I4 extend inwardly somewhat less than one-half the length of the strip so that the cover portion 10b will extend beyond the outer free end of the spgits Ind when the strip is folded along the fold line I5.

Inasmuch as the strip of material I from which the matches and the cover are formed is thin and has considerable exibility, it is desirable to strengthen the match splints Illd somewhat to prevent them from breaking or bending when they are struck upon the striking surface. Accordingly, each of the match splints Illd may be provided with a longitudinally extending corrugation Ille as shown in Figures 4 and 5. Removal of the splints IUd from the strip may be facili` tated by providing a cut I0g through corrugation I0e at the base of the splint.

Also in order to strengthen the web portion I0f that connects the inner ends of the match splints Illd, this web may be provided with a pair of transversely extending corrugations I 6 between the inner ends of the match splints and the fold line I5. At the same time, the cover portion Illb may be provided with a pair of substantially parallel corrugations I1. The corrugations I1 and the space between them may be coated. with a suitable material to provide the striking surface I8 for the match book. The corrugations l1 tend to guide the match head during striking and also to engage the striking heads over a greater amount of their periphery so as to assure positive ignition of the matches.

The other match comb IIa and its cover portion I Ib may be made in a similar manner and the two sections then connected by means of the staple I2 as described above.

Prior to assembly of two of the strips. the ends of the cover portions Illc and IIc may be bent or otherwise shaped in order to cause them to interlock and remain interlocked when the cover portions are pressed together. If desired, the length of the portion IUc may be somewhat less than the length of the portion I Ic in order to facilitate the closing of the package. Also, the portions I0c and IIc may be corrugated or otherwise treated in order to stiien them so that they will retain their interlocking function at least as long as the life of the match package. All of the cutting, corrugating and shaping operations on the stripA I0 may be conducted simultaneously if desired.

While I prefer to provide match packages with two combs of matches therein, it will be understood that only one comb may be used therein such as for example the comb Illa and its cover portion I0b and a plain cover portion like IIb secured in face to face relationship with the match vcomb Illa.

The corrugations Ille in the match splints impart suicient strength to them to permit their ready use without buckling or breaking while at the same time permitting a marked reduction in the thickness of the material used therein, thereby making it possible to produce the match packages more cheaply than the prior match packages and reducing the overall thickness of the package without reducing the number of matches therein.

It will bc understood that match packages of the type described above may be provided with suitable ornamentation or advertising matter on their exterior surfaces and also on the interior of the cover portions Ib, IIb for the reason that these cover portions can be opened to substantially any extent. Despite the fact that the cover portions I0b and IIb may be spread widely and do not rely upon the springiness of the material for return to closed position, the covers of the match package will close upon slight pressure thereon with the portions I0c and IIc snapping together with a camming action and remaining closed until the cover portions are separated intentionally.

It will be understood that the form of the interlocking ends I 0c and IIc on the cover portions may be modied widely without departing from the invention and that the size and shape of the covers may be modified as desired. Therefore, the form of the invention described above should be considered as illustrative only and not as limiting the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. A match book comprising a strip of book matches having striking heads and a paper cover therefor. said cover having protective side portions on opposite sides of said strip secured to the base thereof, and free opposed ends adjacent to said striking heads, and preformed complementally reversely curved overlapping and intertting stifened portions on said free ends for retaining said portions in protective relation to said' striking heads, one of said curved portions bein'g shorter than the other curved portion to permit the curved portions to be pressed into intertting relation by pressure applied to said side portions.

2. The match book set forth in claim 1 in which the strip of book matches comprises a web portion and a plurality of match splints extending therefrom, said web and an adjacent protective side portion having a pair of spaced apart, intertting corrugations therein extending transversely of said adjacent side portion and said web portion substantially perpendicular to said splints, said corrugations forming a pair of ridges and an intervening valley on the outside of said side portion and striking material on said ridges and in said valley.

GIUSEPPE RUSSO.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

